Curated OER
Analyzing Persuasion
A reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech launches a study of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole, allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, connotative language and parallel structure. Class members then...
Student Handouts
Letter from Birmingham Jail
Analyze an abridged version of Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Class members read the excerpt and respond to four provided questions, which focus on the content provided. Consider taking the time to read the entire...
Curated OER
Youth Participation in Nonviolence
Students explore the use of nonviolent resistance. For this social justice lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as the Apartheid Movement in South Africa.
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Journalist’s Report: The Better Vision for Black Americans
After reading a series of primary source documents detailing the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, class members craft newspaper columns assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each man's vision, and present their...
Jazz Academy
Let Freedom Swing
Three lessons in the Let Freedom Swing concert tour resource guide packed with information, materials, and activities that provide the context for any study of American history.
New York State Education Department
US History and Government Examination: June 2014
The 1960s marked a pivotal point for social and foreign policy in the United States. Using documents, such as speeches from Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, and authentic test prompts, class members consider the impact of this...
Anti-Defamation League
Major League Baseball and the Negro Leagues: Correcting an Injustice
It's been a long time coming! In 2020, MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manifred, Jr. stated that "the Negro Leagues would be recognized as official major leagues." Middle schoolers investigate the history of the Negro Leagues and use evidence...
Curated OER
Pay It Forward
Ninth graders practice serial reciprocity. In this "Pay It Forward," lesson, 9th graders watch the film of the same name and discuss how it mirrors work by Martin Luther King, Jr. Students then discuss service projects they can carry out...
Stanford University
Letter from Birmingham Jail: The Power of Nonviolent Direct Action
What strategies are most effective in changing an unjust law? Class members examine the tactics used in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 (Project C) to achieve social justice and social transformation. After examining documents that...
Center for Civic Education
The Power of Nonviolence: Change Through Strategic Nonviolent Action
How did major historical figures, such as Henry David Thoreau, Susan B. Anthony, and Mohandas K. Gandhi, explain and defend their beliefs in nonviolence? Your learners will begin by studying the backgrounds of these individuals, and then...
Curated OER
"i Have a Dream" As a Work of Literature
Pupils read and analyze Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. They answer discussion questions, and write and compose a speech that addresses an injustice in society.
Curated OER
A Raisin in the Sun: Vocabulary Bingo
Young scholars study A Raisin in the Sun. Students study new vocabulary through a game of bingo. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech "I Have a Dream" as a supplementary text. Young scholars create their own bingo cards.
Curated OER
Living Legacies
Students explore the contemporary commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., research the positive impact another famous person has had on society and the images that best represent the actions and beliefs of that person.
Curated OER
I Have a Dream Podcasts
Students write dream speeches and record them as Mp3's. In this speech lesson, students watch Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, "I Have Dream Speech." They use the writing process to develop a dream speech which they rehearse. They record their...
Curated OER
"I Have a Dream" Shown in Pictures
Students demonstrate their understanding of Dr. King's dreams by drawing a picture representing one of them. In this Dr. King activity lesson plan, students read the speech "I Have a Dream" and discuss the vocabulary. Students select one...
Curated OER
Reconsidering Malcolm X
Learners analyze the strategies and speeches of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.
PBS
Amid Rising Economic Inequality, Does America Need a Third Reconstruction?
Young political scientists investigate the Poor People's Campaign protest held in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2022. They research how the event was reported in various news outlets and consider their stance on whether...
Curated OER
Citizenship Skills Lesson in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
High schoolers are introduced to citizenship skills. They analyze the movement of our times--animal protection. Students access the theory of the informed citizen and research those who have influenced our world.
Curated OER
Civics: The Rule of Law
Students examine key concepts pertaining to the rule of law. They explore how Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. used it to oppose discrimination practices. They examine Supreme Court decisions demonstrating the...
Curated OER
Character Education: Perseverance
Pupils analyze and define the word perseverance as it applies to Martin Luther King, Jr. For this Martin Luther King, Jr. lesson, students discuss the book 'I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King.' Pupils analyze the meaning of...
Curated OER
Freedom Fighters
Students discover the accomplishments of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr. In this social justice lesson, students watch "Freedom Fighters," and then read speeches or writings made by each of the men. Students write compare and...
Curated OER
Nonviolent Resistance: Gandhi and King
High schoolers use the internet to research the major events and dates of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. In groups, they use this information to create a poster to present to the class. They reflect on how these two men...
Curated OER
Brother Outsider
Students view the film "Brother Outsider" and read an article by Bayard Rustin as springboards to discuss the concept of civil rights in the United States. They follow a discussion guide.
Curated OER
I Have a Metaphor
Learners locate the literary devices used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. In this figurative language lesson plan, students first distinguish between similes, metaphors, analogies, personification, etc. Learners...